Timer mechanism



March 5, 195 7 A. B. POOLE 2,783,835

TIMER MECHANISM Filed Feb. 8, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 use ARTHUR B. POOLEMarch 5, 1957 Filed Feb. 8, 1952 A. B. POOLE TIMER MECHANISM 3Sheets-Sheet 2 2a n a nti/23%;

ARTHUR B. POOLE March 5, 1957 A. B. POOLE. 2,783,835

, TIMER MECHANISM Filed Feb. 8, 1952 3 Shets-Sheet 3 PW 196-- 214 2) I929 I00 I? o 90 m )gz 4 I42 7 Ln 5 154 ARTHUR B. POOLE By W 8.

d 'wonroz f TIMER MECHANISM Arthur B. Poole, Harwinton, .Conn., assignorto Haydon Manufacturing Company, Ine., Torrington, Coma, a corporationof Connecticut Application February 8, 1952, Serial No. 270,609

7 Claims. (Cl. 161--I') This invention relates to timing mechanisms andmore particularly to "a mechanism which includes an automaticallyoperated electric switch for energizing an electrical load during apredetermined time interval.

Such mechanisms may be used in timers for :kitchen ranges or in othercontrolling means for electrical cooking appliances wherein the circuitto the cooking element is closed at a predetermined time and opened at alater time. For other uses the parts may be so arranged as to cause theload to be tie-energized only during the pre determined interval.

In some respects the present invention is an improvement on the timingmechanism disclosed and claimed in U. S. Patent No. 2,545,617 grantedupon an application of Martin H. Kaefer and Everett S. Bassett.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved time switch ofunusually inexpensive construction which is positive and accurate in itsoperation, and which is provided with legible and easily adjustedcontrol means.

-It is another object of the invention to provide proved time responsivemeans to actuate electrical contacts at a predetermined time and torestore the contacts to their original position at a later time.

A further object is to provide an improved timing mechanism having anadjustable control member for preselecting either manual or automaticoperation, the control member being adjustable at any time in eitherdirection between its manual and automatic settings so that manualoperation can readily be restored after the timing mechanism has beenset for automatic operation.

it is a further object of the invention to provide an improved timeswitch in which the components are unusually few in number andrelatively simple in construction, several of the componentsnevertheless being adapted to perform a plurality of functions. A morespecific object in this regard is to provide :an improved time switch inwhich various indicating components such as clock hands and time settingdials are constructed so as to perform switch operating functions.

A further object is to provide a time switch having an improved contactarrangement.

A further object is to provide an improved timing mechanism in which thefrictional drag on the motor is minimized during the timing sequence andis automatically removed at the completion of the sequence. It is arelated object to provide a low friction timing mechanism in which anytendency of the drag to aifect the initial settings is completelyovercome.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the external appearance of :atiming mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention, thecontrols being set in this instance to energize the load at 10:00 and tode-energize the load at 11:30.

Fig. 2 is a right side elevation of the timing mechanism.

United States Patent 2,783,835 Patented Mar. 5, 1957 Fig. 3 is "afragmentary front elevation showing the positions of the time settingdials and the clock hands immediately after the load has been energized.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation showing the po sition of thedials and hands immediately after the load has been de-energized.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view showing the clockhands and the time setting dials together with other associated timingcomponents.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side section taken in elevation generally alongthe line 66 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a mechanism to providefrictional loading on the time setting dials when 'a timing operation isin progress.

Fig. 8 is an elevational sectional view taken along the line 88 in Fig.2.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing details of aswitch-cocking mechanism, the view being similar to the left-handportion of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a large scale fragmentary perspective view showing certaindetails of the switching arrangement of the timer.

Fig. 11 is .a large scale fragmentary elevational view of the switchingarrangement, the view being partly in section generally along the line1111 in Fig. 9.

While the invention is susceptible of various modification andalternative constructions, there is shown in the drawings and willherein be described in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to beunderstood that it is not thereby intended to limit the invention to theform disclosed, but it is intended to cover all modifications andalternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of theinvention as expressed in the .appended claims.

It will be seen from Fig. 1 that the illustrative timing mechanismincludes a number of clock components including a dial 10, a minute hand12, and an hour hand 14. Mounted on the right hand side of the dial 10is a knob 16 for setting the clock hands 12 and 14.

A start disc or dial 18 and a stop disc or dial 20 are mounted behindthe hands 12 and 14 for independent rotation in coaxial relationship tothe hands. The stop dial 20 is visible through a semi-circular slot 22in the start dial 18. The start dial is provided with an arrow orpointer 24 alined with the counterclockwise end of the slot 22 andlabeled Start. The stop dial 20 is marked with an arrow or pointer 28labeled Stop. Hourly and quarter-hourly graduations 30 extend around thestop dial in 'a counterclockwise direction from the pointer 28, thehourly gradu-ations being given appropriate hour numerals.

At the lower right hand portion of the dial 10 is a knob 32 foradjusting the position of the start dial 18. A similar knob 34 foradjusting the position of the stop dial 20 is positioned at the lowerleft hand portion of the dial 10.

Mounted at the left hand edge of the dial 10 is a knob 35 which isutilized to cock the switching mechanism (to be described) and also topreselect either automatic timed operation or manual operation of theelectrical load device controlled by the timer. The knob 35 has apointer portion 37 to indicate the position of the knob. The dial 10 islabeled Auto above the knob and Man below the knob to indicate theautomatic and manual positions of the knob, respectively.

The timing mechanism is provided with a generally rectangular mountingplate 36 which supports the dial 10 and serves as a base to support theworking parts of the mechanism.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the dial setting knobs 32 and 34 are connectedto the dials 18 and 20'by means includlmobs are mounted, and to whichthe pinions 42 and 44" are secured. The shafts 38 and do are journaledin respective bushings 45 extending through the mounting plate 36. Thepinions 42 and 44 mesh with pinions 46 and 48, respectively, which arefixedly secured to rotatable countershafts 54 and 52 suitably journaiedin the plate 36.

Pinions d and 56 on the countershafts mesh with peripheral gear racks5'8 and 66 on the dials 18 and 20 respectively. By virtue of thecountershafts 5t and 52, the dials 1S and 2t? conveniently rotate in thesame direction as do the knobs 32 and 3d, when the latter are rotatedmanually. p

The clock hands 12 and 34 are driven by a conventional clock motor 62(Fig. 2) which preferably is of the synchronous'electrical type. Thehands are connected to the motor by a conventional clock movement. Thus,the minute hand 12 and the hour hand 14 are respectively secured to arotatable shaft 64 (Figs. 6 and 8) anda sleeve 66 which is slidably androtatably carried on the shaft 64. The shaft 64 and the sleeve 66 areconnected to the motor 62 by means of a suitable gearing which mayinclude a driving pinion 68 (Fig. 2) on the motor 62, a gear 70rotatably mounted on the minute hand shaft 64 and meshing with the motorpinion 63, a pinion 72 secured to the minute hand shaft 6-: andfrictionally driven by the gear 70, a gear 74 meshing with the pinion 72and mounted on a rotatable shaft 76, a pinion 73 mounted on the shaft76, and a gear 8% meshing with the pinion 7S and secured to the hourhand sleeve 66. The handsetting knob 16 is mounted on a shaft 31 whichcarries a pinion 82 meshing with the gear 74-. In this way the hands andthe setting same direction, when the latter is rotated manually.

The timing mechanism is provided with a rear frameplate 83 supporting abushing 84 in which the rear end of the minute hand shaft 64' isjournaled. The gear shafts 76 and 81 are journaled in the rear plate 83and the front mounting plate 36. The hour hand sleeve 66 is journaled ina bushing 85 extending through and secured to the front mounting plate36. The start and stop dials are rotatably carried on the outside of thebushing 85 in front of the plate 36. The bushing has a head 86 to retainthe dials thereon. Washers or spacers 87 and 88 are interposedrespectively'between the two dials 18 and 20 and between the stop Inaccordance with one of the features of the invention, the hour hand 14serves the start and stop dials i8 and 2 serve as detent receiving meanswhich permit the detent member to shift axially in two successive steps.The axial movement of the hour hand is utilized to operate switchingmeans. Accordingly, the hour hand 14 is provided with detent meanscomprising a pair of detent members which in this instance take the formof rearwardly projecting prongs 89 and 9t] struck fromthe hour hand. Thehour hand is urged rearwardly by means'of a spiral helical compressionspring 91 positioned between the hour hand 34 and the minute hand 12.The minute hand is anchored against forward movement by a collar 91secured'to the rear end of the minute hand shaft 64. In order to retainand conceal the spring 91, the hands 12 and 1d are tions 92 and 93having peripheral flanges or rims 94 and 95 which extend toward eachother and thus partly enclose the spring. The start disc or dial 18 isprovided with apertures 96 and 97 for receiving the detent members 89and 90, and the stop disc or dial 26 is provided with similar detentreceiving apertures 98 and 99. The detent member 90 and the detentapertures 97 and 99 are positioned at a slightly greater distance fromthe axis of the minute hand shaft 64 than the detent member 89 and thedetent receiving apertures 96 and 98, so that there is but a singleposition of registry between the detent members and the detent receivingapertures.

knob conveniently rotate inthedial 2-9 and the frame plate 36.;

as a detent member and provided with disc-like hub por-.

The axial movement of the hour hand 14 resulting from entry of thedetent members 89 and 90 into the apertures 9699 is utilized for switchoperating purposes by means of a follow-up member which in this instancetakes the form of a butterfly plate 169 (Fig. 6). The follow-up plate100 is pivotally mounted by means of a horizontal pivot shaft 101positioned between the hour hand sleeve 66 and the dial setting shafts3S and h), the pivot shaft 101 being parallel to the mounting plate 36.The pivot shaft extends through a pair of suitable eyes 103 struck outof the butterfly plate 1%, and is supported in the frame by a pair ofrearwardly projecting lugs 19.2 struck out of the front mounting plate36.

The hour hand sleeve 66 has at its rear end an enlarged hub-like portion104 provided with an annular groove 165 which engages with the follow-upplate 1%. The butterfiy plate has an aperture 106 provided with opposedprojections 107 which are positioned in the groove 165, the projectionsbeing generally parallel with the pivot shaft 101. The aperture Hi6 hasan enlarged fan-shaped lower portion 108 to facilitate assembly. Inorder to move the butterfly follow-up plate 1% into its cocked positionand to effect withdrawal of the detents 89 and 99 for setting purposes,the plate includes downwardly extending arm portions 109 and 116, whicharm portions lie in the path of inward movement of the dial settingshafts 33 and 40 respectively. These shafts are slidably as well asrotatably mounted so that when either of the knobs 32, 34 is pushed in,the follow-up plate 1% is rocked in a counterclockwise direction (Fig.6) causing withdrawal of the detent members 89 and 90 from the dials l8and 2t. Operation of the mechanism thus far described is as follows: Thetiming mechanism is set by first pushing in the start knob 32. Thisoperation disengages the detents 89 and 90 from the start and stop dials18 and 26. The start knob 3a may then be rotated until the start arrow24 points to the desired starting time on the dial 10, the inwardpressure on the knob being maintained move the detent receivingapertures 96-99 out of register with the cletents 89 and 90. As the hourhand 14 is ad-.

vanced by the clock motor 62, the ends of the detents 89 and 90 ride onthe front face of the start dial 1%, the detentsbeing urged against thedial by the spring 91. When the preselected starting time is reached,the detents 89 and 90 enter the apertures 96 and 97, and thereafter thedetents carry the start dial 18 along with the hour hand 14. The detentsride along the face of the stop dial 20 until the preselected stoppingtime is reached. At this time the detents enter the detent receivingapertures 98 and 99 and thereafter the stop dial 2% is carried alongwith the hour hand 14.

Means are provided to prevent the start and stop dials 18 from beingdragged along by friction when the detents 89 and 9d are riding on thefaces of the dials. In this instance the dials 13 and 26 are restrainedagainst rotation by a pair of drag pawls 3.12 and 113 mounted on pivots114 and 115 secured to the frort mounting plate.

tical arms and 121 between which a helical tension spring 122 isstretched in order to urge the pawls into engagement with the pinions 46and 4%.

Provision is made for removing the frictional restraint from the dials18 and 20 when the detents $9 and .96 on the hour hand engage the detentreceiving apertures 96-99 in the dials. Thus the clock motor 62 isrelieved of the additional load which would otherwise be imposed by thefrictional restraining means. In this instance, the pawls 112 and 113are disengaged from the pinions 46 and 48 by the follow-up plate 100when the detents 89 and 90 enter the detent receiving apertures in thedials 18 and 20 respectively. For this purpose, the follow-up plate 100has depending arms or cam members 123 and 124 which are positionedadjacent and generally parallel with the depending arms 120 and 121 ofthe pawls, the latter being provided with rearwardly extending,outwardly inclined lugs or cam following members 125 and 126. Thecamming member 123 and the cam following member 125 are so conformedthat the pawl 112 is disengaged from the pinion 46 when the detentmembers 89 and 90 move rearwardly into the detent receiving apertures 96and 97 in the start dial 18. The camming arm 124 and the cam followinglug 126 are conformed so as to disengage the pawl 113 from the pinion 48when the detents 89 and 90 move rearwardly into the detent receivingapertures 98 and 99 in the stop dial 20. This sequential disengagementof the pawls 112 and 113 may be obtained by bending the camming arms 123and 124 rearwardly at different angles as shown in Fig. 7, or by bendingthe cam following lugs 125 and 126 at slightly different angles.

The timer is provided with a switch mechanism 136, capable, in thisinstance, of controlling two electrical circuits. Accordingly, theswitch mechanism 136 includes two pairs of resilient switch blades 138,140, and 142, 144, carrying respective pairs of opposed contact points150, 152, and 154, 156, the points of each pair normally being spacedapart (Figs. 2 and Closure of the points is effected by the operation ofa member or cam 160, rotatable with a cocking shaft 162, and having twooppositely extending blade-like lobes 164 and 166 for spreading theswitch blades 140 and 142, the latter being provided with opposedrounded nubs 168 and 170 serving to cam the blades outwardly when thecam moves between the blades. It will be noted that the cam is rotatablein a plane generally perpendicular to the direction of contact movement,and that the nubs provide camming surfaces of intermediate direction,with respect to the directions of cam and contact movement.

By means of the knob 35 (Fig. 1), which is mounted on the front end ofthe shaft 162, the switching mechanism 136 may be set to provide eithermanual or automatically timed control of the oven or other load device.The extremes of rotation of the shaft define manual control andautomatic or fully cocked positions, the shaft being suitably biasedcounterclockwisely toward its manual control position, in this case by acontractile spring 172. In this manual control position the contactpairs 150, 152 and 154, 156 are closed by the cam lobe 166.

In accordance with the present invention the successive positions of thefollow-up plate are employed to cause the rotary switch mechanism tostep successively from a fully cocked position to an on position andthen to an off position. This is accomplished by providing laterallyotfset stops on the follow-up plate, the stops being arranged forsuccessive engagement by a radial projection in the rotary switchmechanism. Thus the follow-up plate 100 serves as the latching elementof a latching mechanism 174 which, in the course of a switching cycle,latches the switch shaft 162 successively in an off position with theshaft fully cocked, an on position, and a second off position with theshaft still partly cocked. In the on position, the cam lobe 164 closesthe contact pairs 150, 152 and 154, 156.

As intimated above, the follow-up plate 100 is provided with a pair ofstops or catches 176 and 178, offset in a direction generally parallelto the shaft 162, for successively arresting the rotation of an arm orpawl 180 carried by the shaft, the pawl being yieldable radially topermit it to be snapped over the stops manually. In the exemplaryembodiment, the pawl is mounted for limited radial movement on a pawlcarrier 182 by means of headed studs 184 and 186 thereon, extendingthrough slots 188 and 190 in the pawl, and is biased outwardly by acontractile spring 192 strung around the stud 184 between spring anchorposts 194 and 196 on the carrier. The carrier is freely rotatable on theshaft 162, but the pawl is restrained from rotation by a cam 198 fixedto the shaft and positioned in a generally rectangular aperture 200 inthe pawl, the cam being provided with twin oppositely projecting lobes202 and 204 connected by a fiat 206, against which one edge 208 of theaperture is normally held by the spring 192. On its nose, the pawl has aradial striking surface 210 on one side, adapted to be arrestedpositively by the stops 176 and 178 on the follow-up plate, and aninclined camming or striking surface 212 on the opposite side, shaped soas to cam the pawl inwardly.

The extreme counterclockwise and clockwise positions of the shaft 162are defined by respective fixed stops 214 and 216, struck out of thefront mounting plate 36 and engageable with the stud 184 on the pawlcarrier 182. A similar fixed stop 218 arrests the pawl 180 in the secondoff position at the completion of an automatic switching cycle.

In the operation of the timer, the electrical clock motor 62 isconnected to an alternating current supply, and the load device to becontrolled by the timer is connected in circuit with the switchingmechanism 136. The con tact pairs 150, 152, and 154, 156 may be utilizedto control either two separate circuits or a single heavy duty load suchas the heating element of a cooking oven.

The clock hands 12 and 14 are set initially to the correct time byturning the setting knob 16, and are driven continuously by the motor 62so that they continue to indicate the correct time. In the ensuingexplanation, it will be assumed that the time initially is 9:30, that itis desired to commence an automatic switching cycle at 10:00, and thatthe switching cycle is to be terminated at 11:30. Thus in Fig. 1 theclock hands indicate 9:30.

In order to set the start dial 18 to the desired starting time, thestart knob 32 is pushed rearwardly as far as it will go, preparatory torotation thereof. The consequent rearward translation of the shaft 38swings the arm 109 rearwardly, so that the follow-up plate 100 slidesthe hour hand sleeve 66 forwardly along the minute hand shaft 64, inopposition to the bias of the spiral spring 91. The detents 89 and onthe hour hand 14 are thereby withdrawn from the apertures 96-99 in thestart and stop dials 18 and 20. The inward pressure on the start knob ismaintained while the knob is being turned a sufficient distance to movethe detents out of register with the apertures 96 and 97 in the startdial, and then the pressure may be released, whereupon the spiral springmoves the detents into engagement with the face of the start dial. Thestart knob may then be rotated until the start arrow 24 points to thedesired starting time on the clock dial 10 (10:00 in Fig. l).

The desired stopping time is selected by rotating the stop knob 34 untilthe stop arrow 28 on the stop dial 20 points to the desired time (11:30in Fig. 1). The timer is so constructed that the stop dial may be setfirst, rather than the start dial, if desired. If this is done, the stopknob 34 must be pushed rearwardly to rock the follow-up plate andthereby release the detents 89 and 90 from the stop dial 20. Insubsequently setting the start dial, the start knob is pushed rearwardlyto release the detents from the start dial.

After the start and stop dials 18 and 20 have been set, the timer may beadjusted for automatic operation by turning the control knob 35 as faras it will go in a clockwise direction, in order to cock the switchingmechanism 136. During the course of the accompanying rotation of theshaft 162, the pawl is momentarily greases arrested-by the fixed stop218, but the continued rotation of the shaft162 forces the pawl radiallyinwardly so that it can pass the stop. This radial withdrawal of thepawl 180 is effected by the cam lobe 204 which acts against the edge 208of the cam aperture 200. The clockwise striking surface 212 of the pawlis formed so as to provide an additional inward camming action thereon.Farther along in the course of the rotation of the shaft 162, thepawllSt) engages and is momentarily arrested by the stop 176 on thefollow-up plate 100, but again the cam 193 withdraws the pawl radiallyso that it can move around the stop.

The clockwise cocking rotation of the shaft 162 is limited by engagementof the stud 184 with the fixed stop'216. When the manual cocking torqueis removed from the control knob 35, the return spring 172 tends torotate the shaft 162 back to its original manual position, but the shaftis arrested in its fully cocked position by engagement of itscounterclockwise striking surface 210 with the stop 176, as shown inFig. 8. The timer is now fully adjusted for automatic timing operation.

The construction of the timer is such that the manual condition ofadjustment can be restored manually after the timer has been set forautomatic operation. This is accomplished merely by rotating the controlknob 35 in a counterclockwise direction back to its manual position.During this operation, the cam 198 withdraws the pawl 180 wheneverresistance is encountered, so that the pawl snaps over the movable stop176 and the fixed stop 218.

Once the dials 13 and 29 have been set and the control knob 35 has beenrotated to its fully cocked position, the timing cycle proceedsautomatically. Since they are urged rearwardly by the spring 91, thedetents are dragged along the front face of the start dial 18 as thehand 14 advances, but the position of the dial is not disturbed thereby,because the pawl 112 exerts a frictional braking or restraining torqueon the dial driving pinion 46.

At the previously selected starting time, the detents S9 and 90 comeinto register with the apertures 96 and 97 in the start dial 13, asshown in Fig. 3, whereupon the spring 91 moves the detents rearwardlyuntil they engage the face of the stop dial 20. The hour hand sleeve 66rocks the follow-up plate into its half-cocked position, and theaccompanying rearward movement of the catch 176 releases the pawl 189 sothat the shaft 162 is freed for counterclockwise rotation by the spring172. However, the shaft 162 is arrested in its on position by the catch176, which has been moved into the path of the pawl by the rearwardmovement of the detents.

When the shaft 162 is in its fully cocked posit-ion, the switchoperating cam 15% is disengaged from the switch blades 141 and 142 sothat the contact pairs 15), 152 and 15 156 are open. As the pawl 180moves into engagement with the catch 17% after having been released bythe catch 176, the lobe 164 of the cam moves between the nubs 16$ and170 on the blades 14-0 and 142, thus spreading the blades and closingthe contact pairs so as to energize the load device.

When the follow-up plate 11113 is rocked into its halfcocked position,the camming aim 123 on the plate lifts the pawl 112 from the dialdriving pinion 46, so that a minimum of torque is required of the motor62 in advancing the start dial along with the hour hand 14. As thedetents 89 and 9t! slide along the stop dial 20 toward the apertures 98and $9, the drag pawl 113, acting on the dial driving pinion 48,prevents the previously adjusted position of the dial from beingdisturbed.

During the advance of the detents S9 and $9, the start dialprogressively obscures the graduations 31? on the stop dial, so that thegraduations remaining visible at any moment indicate the cooking timeyet to elapse.

At the preselected stopping time the detents come into registration withthe apertures 98 and 99 (Fig. 4), so that the spring 91 can move thedetents rearwardly,

thereby rocking the follow-up plate into its at rest position. The arm124 on the plate withdraws the pawl 113 from the pinion 48 so as torelease the stop dial for free rotation by the motor 62. The stop 178 ismoved rearwardly, thereby releasing the pawl 180 so that'the returnspring 172 can rotate the shaft 162 until the pawl is arrested by thefixed stop 218. In this position of the shaft, the cam 16!) is againdisengaged from the switch blades 140 and 142, so that the contact pairs150, 152 and 154, 156 resume their open positions.

After these operations the automatic switching cycle is complete, andanother cycle cannot be initiated until the shaft 162 is again manuallyrotated into its fully cocked position. In this respect the timer isself-deleting.

Manual control of the load device may be restored by rotating thecontrol knob counterclockwise into its manual position, causing rotationof the shaft 162 and accompanying rotation of the cam 1%. The lobe 2412on the cam withdraws the pawl radially, and the return spring 172thereupon rotates the shaft 162 until the stud 184 engages the stop 214.The lobe 166 of the switchoperating cam spreads the switch blades 149and 142 and thereby closes the contact pairs 159, 152 and 154, 156.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a timer, the combination comprising a clock dial having timeindicia around its periphery, a clock hand in front of the dial, meansfor rotating said clock hand relative to said indicia to indicate timeof day, a pair of time-selecting discs coaxially arranged immediately behind the hand, means for ro-tatably adjusting said timeselecting discsto positions denoting predetermined times of day, said clock hand beingaxially movable and having means for biasing the same toward the discs,said hand and said discs having respective interengageable detentelements for causing said hand to move successively toward said discswhen said hand is rotated into positions denoting the times of dayindicated by the preadjusted positions of the time-selecting discs,respective restraining means for restraining the discs against rotationdue to friction between the discs and the detent element on the hand,respective means for successively rendering said restraining meansineffective in response to successive interengagement of the detentelements, a controlled mechanism and means responsive to the successivemovement of the hand for selectively controlling said mechanism.

2. In a timer, the combination, comprising a clock dial having timeindicia around its periphery, a clock hand in front of the dial, meansfor rotating said hand relative to said dial to indicate time of day, apair of time-select ing discs coaxially arranged between the hands andthe dial, means for rotatably adjusting said time-selecting discs topositions indicative of predetermined times of day, said clock handbeing axially movable and having means for biasing the same toward thediscs, interengageable detent means on said hand and said time-selectingdiscs for permitting said hand to move progressively axially toward saiddiscs when said hand reaches successive positions indicative of thetimes of day indicated by the preadjusted positions of thetime-selecting discs, and a two position control device actuated intoits first and second positions in response to the successive axialmovements of said hand.

3. in a timer, the combination comprising a clock dial having timeindicia around its periphery, a clock hour hand in front of the dial,means for rotating said hour hand relative to said dial to indicate timeof day, an on disc, and an cit disc, coaxially arranged between the hourhand and the dial, means for rotatably adjusting each of said discs to aposition indicative of a predetermined time of day, said hour handhaving a rearwardly biased detent mounted thereon, apertures in saiddiscs arranged in the path of movement of said detent so that the detentis received first by said on disc as said hour hand is rotated intoposition denoting the time of day for which said on disc is adjusted,further movement thereof being restrained by said oil disc, and next bysaid oft disc as said hour hand is rotated into position denoting thetime of day for which said ofi disc is adjusted, a two position controldevice, and means responsive to the successive axial movement of thedetent for progressively actuating said control device into its firstand second positions.

4. In a timer, the combination comprising a clock dial having timeindicia around its periphery, a clock hand in front of the dial, saidhand being mounted for relative axial movement and rearwardly biased,means for rotating said hand relative to said dial to indicate time ofday, a pair of discs coaxially arranged with respect to said clock handand manually adjustable relative to said indicia to positions denotingpredetermined times of day, interengageable detent means on said handand said discs to produce a first axial movement of said clocr; handwhen said hand is rotated to the position denoting the time preset onthe first of said discs, further axial movement thereof being restrainedby the second of said discs, and a con tinued axial movement when saidhand is rotated to the position denoting the time preset on the secondof said discs, a follow-up plate operably coupled to said clock hand formovement in accordance with the axial movement of said hand, a twoposition control member, and means responsive to the successive axialmovement of the clock hand for progressively actuating said controlmember into its first and second positions.

5. In a timer, the combination comprising a clock dial having timeindicia around its periphery, a clock hand in front of the dial, saidhand being mounted for relative axial movement, means for rotating saidclock hand relative to said dial to indicate time of da a pair ofmembers coaxially arranged with respect to said clock hand and manuallyadjustable relative to said indicia to positions denoting predeterminedtimes of day, detent means on said hand interengageable with saidmembers to produce a first axial movement between the hand and theadjustable members when said hand is rotated into position denoting thetime of day for which the first of said members is adjusted, furtheraxial movement thereof being restrained by the second of said members,and a continued axial movement when said hand is rotated to the positiondenoting the time ot' day for which the second of said members isadjusted, a latch member operably coupied to said clock hand for axialmovement therewith, a spring biased control member, and means on saidlatch member for progressively actuating said control memher intosuccessive operating positions.

6. In a timing mechanism, the combination compris ing a dial having timeindicia around its periphery, a minute hand in front of the dial, anhour hand mounted coaxially therewith for relative axial and rotarymovement, means for rotating said hands relative to said dial toindicate passage of time, a pair of time selecting members coaxiallyarranged with respect to said hour hand and mounted behind said hourhand adjacent to the front Eli of a said dial, a compression springpositioned between the hands for effecting relative axial movement ofthe hour hand away from the minute hand and toward the members,interchangeable detent means between said hour hand and said members toproduce a first axial movement between the hour hand and the memberswhen said hand is rotated into a position denoting the time for whichthe first of said members is adjusted, further axial movement of saidhour hand being restrained by engagement or" said detent means with thesecond of said members, and to produce continued axial movement of saidhour hand when said hand is rotated into a position denoting the timefor which the second of said members is adjusted, and control meansactuable to perform successive control functions in response to thesuccessive axial movements or" said hour hand.

7. in a control device, the combination comprising: a clock dial; acontinuously rotated axially movable clock hand to indicate time of daymounted in front of the clock dial; two adjacent adjustably rotatableselector elements mounted behind the clock hand and coaxially therewith;means for biasing said clock hand toward said selector elements; detentreceiving means in said two selector elements; a first and a secondrestraining means for restraining movement of said selector elements,respectively; detent means on said clock hand for successively en gagingand passing through the detent receiving means on the first selectorelement as said clock hand is rotated into position corresponding to apreadjusted setting of the first of said selector elements, furthermovement toward said selector elements being interrupted by engagementof said detent means by the second of the selector elements, and thedetent receiving means on the second of said selector elements as saidclock hand is rotated into position corresponding to a preadjustedsetting of the second of said selector elements; and a first and asecond releasing means for successively releasing said first and secondrestraining means responsive to said successive progressive axialmovements of said clock hand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,860,159 Porter May 24, 1932 1,935,232 Smith Nov. 14, 1933 2,056,400Holtz Oct. 6, 1936 2,145,082 Grayson J an. 24, 1939 2,145,083 Dynes Jan.24, 1939 2,200,110 Anderson May 7, 1940 2,202,721 Anderson May 28, 19402,259,188 Whitehead Oct. 14, 1941 2,300,950 Lux Nov. 3, 1942 2,325,812Thompson Aug. 3, 1943 2,440,142 Elliott Apr. 20, 1948 2,499,270 EllisFeb. 28, 1950 2,505,573 Prophet Apr. 25, 1950 2,545,617 Kaefer et alMar. 20, 1951

